The Globetrotter Vehicle ATACAMA 6300 is put to the test

The chassis of the ATACAMA 6300, in which we are on tour here, has been optimized in some respects and we are testing it now. Technical innovations have been developed for improving the driving behaviour with regard to short and deep bumps.

A three-point suspension of the sub-frame allows for an optimum axle articulation in off-road terrain. Innovative damping elements are to reduce the pendular movement of the vehicle body. Test results and our experience during the journey will be reported in Part 3.

This wide gravel road will take us to the most remote regions of Namibia. The Kaokoveld lies in the Northwest of Namibia. In the West it borders on Skeleton Park and in the North on Kunene, the river that marks the border between Namibia and Angola. In this area any character of terrain is present, which makes it ideal for testing vehicles.

However, this “motorway” has a lot of tricky features too, and every year it turns into a lethal trap for tourists who are simply driving too fast. After that, this wide road turns into narrow 4x4 trails used almost exclusively by Land Rover and Toyota of narrow tread.

It is here at the latest that the challenge begins!

The landscapes in the Northwest are waiting to be conquered!

After hundreds of kilometres via frequently rough gravel roads once you have reached the region of elephants, the 4x4 trails become narrower and narrower – the start of adventures for a somewhat wider vehicle!

However when you have mastered that, you are rewarded with incredibly romantic resting places and up close experience with the fauna. It is right now that you will feel the strain has been worth it.

Our tour was documented by a drone from above and the result were impressive pictures and videos. A video documentation will be available on Internet at the beginning of 2017.

The striking circles in the sandy ground are known as the famous “fairy circles”, which can be admired only in Namibia. Research as to their origin are still going on, but it is assumed that they have been made by a special kind of termites.

After the strain of the day - romantic camp in the Giribes Plains

As in years before, the experienced and reliable crew of this test tour is the founding couple and producer of ACTION MOBIL.

Harmony within the family and more than 45 years of hands-on experience with travelling in off-road regions are fundamental for the further development of our special-purpose vehicles.

The equipment of the ACTION MOBIL kitchen can compete with many a modern kitchen. Nevertheless, a barbecue around an open campfire is an essential part of any African safari.

Tyre killers

Sharp, pointed stones and rocks in mountainous regions are the biggest concern of any driver. In some cases it is a question of millimetres to drive around the knifelike rock edges. This is where driving skills are put to a hard test.

The mountain passes in Namibia are feared routes and only few of them can be mastered in bigger vehicles. Turning a truck around is practically impossible. Such an enterprise should only be undertaken with the help of an experienced local guide. In many cases, however, there are bypass earth roads that will take you to your destination. So why take a risk?

Part 2

The second part of our travel report will tell about the green stretches of countryside in the PUROS area. The HOUARUSIB is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Africa’s South. The deep-sand paths in the river beds provide for action and the encounter with wild animals is up close.